1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for making a sheet of material from a fiber textilelike mat means formed of fiber means mixed with fibers of thermoplastic material.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known in the art to provide a sheet of material having fiber means and thermoplastic means bonding the fiber means and the thermoplastic means together. For example, the thermoplastic means comprises a thermoplastic resin, such as polypropylene, and the fiber means comprises fibers of synthetic or natural origin, such as cellulose, fiberglass, etc., wherein the resulting sheet of material is densified under heat and pressure so as to be substantially flat while being adapted to be subsequently contoured or molded into a desired shape by heat and pressure. One such sheet of material is sold under the Trade name or Trademark "Azdel" by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company of Pittsburgh, Pa. and another such material is known as "Masonite."
It is believed that the apparatus for producing the aforementioned prior known sheets of material each comprises an arrangement wherein the fiber means and thermoplastic means are carried between adjacent runs of two endless belts that pass through a first section of the apparatus wherein the thermoplastic means and fiber means are heated and compressed between the adjacent runs of the belts and then pass through another section of the apparatus where the densified material is cooled so as to set the melted thermoplastic means to produce the substantially rigid sheet of material that exits from between the two belts. However, it is not known how the heating section of such an arrangement is provided or how the cooling section thereof is provided.
It is also believed that neither of these two prior known sheets of material are formed by having the thermoplastic means thereof initially in fiber form as required by this invention.
However, it is known to applicant to form the thermoplastic material in fiber form. For example, see the copending patent application, Ser. No. 499,605 filed May 31, 1983.